The present invention concerns the technical field electric cooking appliances having a housing in which is mounted a tank provided to receive a cooking liquid. The present invention concerns, in particular, but not exclusively, electric fryers.
Electric cooking appliances of the type mentioned above can have a tank that is fixedly or removeably mounted in the housing. Appliances having a fixed tank are fabricated more economically but are less convenient to use than appliances with a removable tank. In effect, pouring of the cooking bath out of the tank is more difficult in the case of appliances with a fixed tank.
In known cooking appliances having a tank that is fixedly mounted in a housing; the housing has an upper rim surrounding the edge of the tank, the upper rim of the housing being higher than the tank, with the exception of an indentation provided for installation of an articulation of a lid. The lid is mounted to be removable from the housing. The indentation facilitates pouring out of the cooking liquid contained in the tank. However, this arrangement allows the cooking liquid to flow along the lateral wall of the housing, particularly at the end of the pouring procedure.
The present invention provides an electric cooking appliance having a tank that is fixedly mounted in a housing, in which pouring out of the cooking liquid is facilitated.
For this purpose, the invention provides an electric cooking appliance having a tank mounted in a housing presenting an upper opening, an upper peripheral rim surrounding the upper opening, and an indentation, or cut-out, being provided in the upper peripheral rim, wherein the appliance further has a removable pouring accessory arranged to be mounted in the indentation. This arrangement allows the pouring out of cooking liquid from the tank to be facilitated. The removable nature of the pouring accessory facilitates construction of the tank and/or of the housing.
According to one advantageous form of construction, the pouring accessory mounted in the indentation has a collection zone opening into the indentation, the collection zone communicating with a pouring zone that opens at the outside of the tank and the housing. Other embodiments can be envisioned, such as an embodiment having a collection zone that partially or totally blocks, or closes, the tank or the upper peripheral rim of the housing.
Advantageously then, the pouring zone protrudes from the housing when the pouring accessory is mounted in the indentation. This arrangement contributes to preventing the cooking bath from dripping onto the sidewall of the housing.
The pouring accessory has a lower wall and, advantageously also, the pouring accessory has lateral walls that converge toward the pouring zone. This arrangement contributes to accelerating the speed at which the liquid flows and promotes the attainment of a jet, or stream, that has a greater spacing from the sidewall of the housing.
Also advantageously, the lateral walls of the pouring accessory are connected together by an upper wall. This arrangement contributes to increasing the rigidity of the pouring accessory. This arrangement also contributes to channeling the stream of cooking liquid. This arrangement also facilitates gripping of the accessory by allowing it to be seized at a point between its upper wall and its lower wall. In addition, the upper wall can be arranged in a manner to not increase the overall size of the accessory, thereby facilitating storage.
According to a further advantage, the indentation, or cutout, has a threshold that is higher than the collection zone of the pouring accessory when the accessory is mounted in the indentation. This arrangement helps to suppress the creation of turbulences in the cooking liquid in the tank as the liquid enters the collection zone.
According to a further advantage of the invention, the pouring accessory has a transverse structure provided to cooperate, or engage, with a longitudinal structure provided in the indentation. This arrangement permits an easy installation of the pouring accessory and also permits construction of the appliance to be simplified. This arrangement also makes it easier to create a tight seal between the accessory and the indentation, although a separate sealing joint could be provided if necessary or desired.
According to further features of the invention, the pouring accessory has a retaining hook provided to cooperate with a projection provided in a wall of the housing. In order to facilitate positioning of the pouring accessory, an elastic foot connects the hook to a lower wall of the accessory. Also advantageously, in order to facilitate withdrawal of the accessory, an unlocking tongue is mounted on the elastic foot.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the upper peripheral rim is part of the housing. According to another embodiment, the upper peripheral rim can belong at least in part to the tank, particularly when the tank is fabricated by molding. The indentation can then be formed in the upper edge of the tank.
According to an advantageous arrangement, the appliance has a device that is removable with respect to the housing, said device comprising a support adapted to be positioned in the indentation. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a separate indentation only for introduction of the pouring accessory. The support can, in particular, be part of a device for raising and lowering a basket disposed in the tank, or a device for articulating, or pivoting, a lid associated with the housing.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the appliance has a lid for closing the housing. In further accordance with the invention, to facilitate pouring, the lid is removable with from the housing.
Also advantageously, the lid is mounted in an articulated manner with respect to the housing and the indentation is disposed substantially diametrically opposite the point of articulation of the lid about the upper opening. The lid is preferably removable. This arrangement in particular permits the same indentation to be used to support a device for raising and lowering a cooking basket and to support the pouring accessory.
Also advantageously, the appliance has a receptacle provided to receive the pouring accessory for storage. Further, the receptacle can be formed in the lid and may be closed by a hood, or cover.